How do air fryers work? Air fryers have recently spread themselves throughout the homes in America like wildfire. This kitchen appliance has many wondering what it is and how it works. You might be wondering, is it really necessary, and if yes, why? How does it work? Should you buy one for yourself? All these questions will be answered throughout this article.
Does the Air Fryer need oil to function?
Hearing the word ‘fry’ in “air fryer” might lead one to think that oil must be involved. However, no oil is necessary for the Air fryer. Instead, the food goes into a basket and the machine cooks the food with hot air. This might surprise some people as the effects are very similar to deep-frying. Air frying creates that crisp that many people love from deep-frying foods.
How can air create the crisp that resembles frying?
Similar to that of a convection oven, the force of the air creates a convection effect that crisps the outer layers of whatever you are cooking. A fan in the air fryer pushes air around the food in circular motions which is quicker than traditional methods because the heat is evenly distributed around the food. This is also much cleaner and easier than frying with oil. Most air fryers have baskets that have small holes around their edges which allow the hot air to distribute evenly around the food.
What can you cook in the air fryer?
However, one drawback to the air fryer is that you can not cook foods that have a liquid batter. Therefore foods such as onion rings or fried chicken must be cooked using oil. The batter will simply go through the holes of the basket and cause a mess. A great attribute of the air fryer is the versatility it has with all types of foods that do not have a liquid batter. Whether it be last night’s leftover chicken or a new batch of broccoli, the air fryer is limited to your imagination. The air fryer is also great for microwavable food such as hot pockets. It is a great alternative to the standard microwave because it creates a crisp that microwaves can not give.
Is the Air Fryer healthier than deep-frying?
In addition, it might seem that air frying might be much more healthy than deep frying because of the lack of oil but it is much more complicated. When deep frying foods, the amount of oil stored in the food is minimal. The added oil on the food is what causes an additional amount of calories, therefore, but because the amount of oil on the food is minimal, the health benefits of the air fryer are unclear.
How convenient are Air Fryers?
One downside when it comes to the air fryer is the amount of food you can put into the basket. Typically, the basket is fairly small compared to that of a conventional oven. The manufacturers of air fryers cannot simply increase the size as the air fryer needs to be a certain size for the hot air to evenly distribute around the food item. However, when cooking for 2 people or less, it should not be a problem. Another great aspect of air fryers is their ability to reheat foods. As you may know with microwaves, its reheating capabilities turn foods warm at best– almost indistinguishable from its fresh, former glory. The air fryer, on the other hand, is far superior to reheating foods. It retains the food’s taste and texture much better than a microwave. In addition, cleaning an air fryer is as simple as it gets. Due to its small size, cleaning it much faster than cleaning a baking sheet for example. With the removal of the basket, a quick scrub with dish soap and you are ready for your next batch of food.
Does the Air Fryer make tasty foods?
The taste is also an important factor to account for. The bottom line is if the food you are putting in the air fryer is tasty, it will be tasty. In my experience, the air fryer has never failed to produce tasty food that is significantly tastier than foods cooked in the microwave.
How Do Air Fryers Work? – Conclusion
Now that you know all about the air fryer, it is up to you whether to buy one. If the concept of oil-free crispy food intrigues you, then, by all means, go get that air fryer. For me, having an air fryer has changed my life for the better.
Written by Colby Lee